Zanskar

The
Virgin Vale
About 20-km south of Rangdum stands the Pazila watershed across which lies
Zanskar, the most isolated of all the trans Himalayan Valleys. The Panzela
Top (4,401 m) is the picturesque tableland adorned with two small alpine
lakes and surrounded by snow-covered peaks.

As the Zanskar road winds down the steep slopes of the watershed to the
head of the Stod Valley, one of Zanskar's main tributary valleys, the
majestic "Drang-Drung" glacier looms into full view. A long and
winding river of ice and snow, the Drang-Drung" is perhaps the largest
glacier in Ladakh, outside the Siachen formation. It is from the cliff-like
snout of this extensive glacier that the Stod or Doda River, the main
tributary of river Zanskar, rises.

Prime Attractions of Ladakh

Ladakh
is a land like no other. Bounded by two of the world's mightiest mountain
ranges, the Great Himalayas and the Karakoram, it lies athwart two other,
the Ladakh range and the Zanskar range. more..

On the long Manali -Leh road and
providing a route across the Baralacha range is the famous Baralacha Pass.
It is situated at a spectacular 16,400 ft above sea level. The pass itself
is 8-km long, and is literally the pass "where many roads meet".

Biafo Glacier

The Biafo glacier is located on
the south-facing slopes of the Karakoram Range in the Baltistan area of
Ladakh. It has a length of about 60-km and descends from a large glacial
trough.

Dah-Hanu

Dah and Hanu are places on the far
side of the great Indus River on the far side of Leh. Surrounded by the
great Hindu - Kush mountains and peopled by a hardy but gentle people who
have a bank of strange legends to relate for the weary traveller's ears.

Dosmoche

An ancient tradition started by the
kings of Ladakh, Docmoche is still celebrated every year in February with
great pomp and fervour. The courtyard of the chapel below the gates of the
Leh of the Leh Palace comes alive with the music of drums and the thumping
steps of the masked Lamas from different monasteries performing the sacred
dance-drama.

Hemis Festival

One of the most popular monastic
selections in Ladakh, the festival of them is symbolises the centuries-old
traditions of the Kar-gyur-pa sect of Tibetan Buddhism.

The
Hemis High Altitude National Park includes the catchments of two valleys,
which drain into the River Indus. It is named after the famous monastery --
Hemis, and sprawls over 600-sq-km in the Markha And Rumbak valleys.

Karakoram Pass

The Karakoram Pass lies on one
of the highest trade routes in the world for Yarkand in Central Asia.

Khardong La & Digar La Pass

The Khardong La
pass is situated at an incredible elevation of over 5,800 m (18,680 ft). It
lies on the route between Leh and the Shyok and Nubra valleys

Lakes in Ladakh

The Tso Morari Lake is one of
the largest lakes in Ladakh region and is almost like an inland sea. At an
altitude of almost 4,500 meters, the Pangong Tso is only 8-km wide at its
broadest but is an amazing 134-km long. Kyaghr lake is the halting place for
trekkers moving from the Kiangdum camping ground to the Tsomorari Lake.

Lamayuru

If one sight could be said to sum up
Ladakh, it would have to be Lamayuru Gompa, 130-km west of Leh. Hemmed in by
a moonscape of scree covered mountains, the white washed medieval monastery
towers above a scruffy cluster of tumbledown mud brick houses from the top
of a near vertical, weirdly eroded cliff.

Likkir

6-km to the north of the main
Leh-Srinagar highway, shortly before the village of Saspol, the large and
wealthy Gompa of Likkir, home to around one hundred monks, is renowned for
its huge yellow statue of the Buddha to come which towers above the terraced
fields and village below.

Losar is the most elaborate of all the
socio -religious events of Ladakh. It involves the entire population of the
region. Interestingly, the rites and rituals are a mixture of Buddhist and
the pre Buddhist Bon religious practices.

Matho

Matho, 27-km south of Leh, straddles a
spur at the mouth of an idyllic side valley. Though no less interesting or
scenically situated than its neighbours, the Gompa sees comparatively few
visitors.

Matho Nagrang

On the 15th day of the 1st
Tibetan month, a 2-day festival is held at the Matho Monastery - the only
Saskyapa monastic establishment in Ladakh.

Monastic Festivals

The monastic festivals are
the events that provide the average Ladakhi with the spice of life. No other
festival can match them in religious and entertainment value. These
festivals are held to commemorate the founding of a monastery, the birthday
of its patron saint or major events in the evolution of Tibetan Buddhism.

Mulbekh

West of Lamayuru, the main road crawls
to the top of Fatu-la (4,091m), the highest pass between Leh and Srinagar,
and then ascends Namika-la ("Sky Pillar"), so called because of
the jagged pinnacle of rock that looms above it to the south.

Namgyal Tsemo Gompa

Once one is acclimatized to
the altitude, the stiff early morning hike up to Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, the
monastery perched precariously on the shaly crag behind Leh palace, is a
great way to start the day.

Nubra Glacier

The Nubra glacier is located on
the southern slopes of the Karakoram Range in the Ladakh region of Jammu and
Kashmir. It is a large glacier located in a huge amphitheater that is ringed
by towering peaks.

Padum

Once the capital of the ancient kingdom
of Zanskar, Padum (3,505 m) is the present day administrative headquarters
of the region. With a population of nearly 1,500, Padum can be described as
the most populous settlement of Zanskar, otherwise a very scarcely inhabited
valley.

Panamic

After a cleansing trip to the hot
springs, where two rooms each have a deep tub filled with piping hot
sulphurous water, where's little to do in Panamic other than walk. A dot on
the mountainside across the river, Ensa Gompa makes an obvious excursion.

Pangong Tso

Pangong Tso, 154-km to the
southeast of Leh, is one of the largest salt-water lakes in Asia, a long
narrow strip of water stretching from Ladakh east into Tibet. Only a quarter
of the 130-km-long lake is in Ladakh, and the Indian army, who experienced
bitter losses along its shores in the war against China in 1962, guard their
side of the frontier.

A mere 24-km west of Leh, Phyang Gompa
looms large at the head of a secluded side valley that tapers north into the
rugged Ladakh range from the Srinagar highway.

Phyang Tsedup

Phyang is one of the two
Dringungpa Monasteries in Ladakh. This monastery 17-km west of Leh, holds
its festival in July/august. Like other monastic festivals, sacred
dance-dramas or 'chhams' form the core of this festival.

River Rafting

While water levels are high,
between the end of June and late August, Leh's more entrepreneurial travel
agents operate rafting trips on the river Indus

Sankoo

A picturesque expanse surrounded by
colorful rocky mountains, Sankoo is an upcoming township with a small bazaar
and numerous villages around. Dense plantations of Poplers, Willows,
Myricarea and wild Roses fill the bowl shaped valley, giving it the ambience
of a man-made forest tucked within the mountain ramparts.

Siachen Glacier

The Siachen glacier lies in the
extreme north-central part of Jammu and Kashmir near the border of India and
Tibet. With a length of about 72-km, Siachen is known as the largest glacier
in the world outside the Polar Regions.

Sind Valley

Considered by many to be the most
beautiful of Kashmir's side valleys, the Sind is also the access route to
the Zoji la pass.

Sindhu Darshan Festival

The Sindhu Darshan or
Sindhu Festival aims at projecting the Indus as a symbol of India's unity
and communal harmony. Whilst promoting tourism to this area, this festival
is also a symbolic salute to the brave soldier of India.

Siser La Or Saser La

Siser La is a high
mountain pass in northern Ladakh in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It lies
on one of the highest trade routes in the world for Yarkand in Central Asia.

Stok

Just beyond the Tibetan refugee camp at
Choglamsar, a side road turns left off the highway to cross the Indus on an
iron bridge plastered with prayer flags, and then continues up towards a
huge TV mast.

Sumur

Soon after passing Khalsar, the road
crosses the confluence of the Shyok and Nubra to a patch of green sloping
from the river to the base of precipitous mountains. Sumur is home to the
Nubbra valley's most important monastery,

The Suru Valley is formed by the
catchment are of the SuruRiver, which rises from the Panzella glacier.

The Nubra Valley

The 18,640 feet high Khardung
La pass forms the divide between the Nubra Valley and Leh. After crossing
the Khardung La, one descends to a place called "Khalsar",
situated on the left bank of the Shyok River.

Tulimpati La

The Tulimpati La is located in
Ladakh region of Jammu and Kahsmir. This pass opens up the route from the
Nubra Valley of Ladakh towards the Karakoram Pass.

Zozi La

Zoji La is a famous pass over the main
Himalayan range on the Srinagar-Leh highway. As a matter of fact, this pass
has often been termed as the gateway to Ladakh.

Buddhism In Ladakh

Although the Islamic
influence extends out of the Kashmir valley as far as Kargil in Ladakh, the
predominant religion is overwhelmingly the Tibetan, Lamaist form of
Buddhism.

Chemrey

Clinging like a swallow's nest to the
sides of a shaly conical hill, the magnificent Gompa of Chemrey sees very
few visitors because of its location - tucked up the side valley that runs
from Karu, below Hemis, to the Chang-la pass into Pangong.

Chong Kumdan Glacier

The Chong Kumdan glacier
is situated on the lower slopes of the Karakoram Range. It is located in a
trough that is surrounded by high peaks on all sides. The melt-water from
this glacier flows into the Shyok River, which in turn joins the Indus
River. The Chong Kumdan glacier had blocked the flow of the Shyok River
several times in the past. Thus the Gapshan Lake was formed which drained
away once the ice dam gave way. This glacier can be approached via Skardu in
Ladakh.

Dances Of Ladakh

Ladakhi Dances are very
colorful and majestic. The slow and gentle movements of these dances are
very well complemented by the richness of jewelled 'Peraks', Silver
ornaments and rich music.

Diskit And Hundur

The caramel brown hillside
above the old town supports Diskit's picturesque Gompa, built in 1420 by
Changzem Tserab Zangpo, a disciple of Tsong-kha-pa.

Gasherbrum Glacier

The Gasherbrum glacier is
located on the southern slopes of the Karakoram Range in the Baltistan area
of Ladakh. It lies at the base of the Gasherbrum peak and has a length of
about 26-km. The melt-water from this glacier joins the Shyok river system.
Glaciers in hanging valleys open into the main glacier. No vegetation grows
in this tract due to the extreme conditions of cold. This glacier can be
approached via Skardu in Ladakh.

Gu-Stor

Gu-Stor literally means 'Sacrifice of
the 29th day'. It is traditional to the monasteries of the reformist
Geluk-pa order of Tibetan Buddhism. This two-day long festival is held
mainly in the Spituk, Thiksay (also spelt as Thiksey) and Karsha (Zanskar)
monasteries, at different times every year. s

Situated on the southern slopes
of the Karakoram Range in the Baltistan area of Ladakh is Hispar Glacier.

Rakaposhi Glacier

Rakaposhi glacier is located
on the lower slopes of the Karakoram Range in the Gilgit area of Ladakh. It
is tenanted on the north-facing slopes of the Rakaposhi massif. The
Rakaposhi glacier feeds an eastern tributary of the Hunza River, which in
turn flows into the Indus River. The Rakaposhi glacier lies in a trough
whose bottom gently slopes towards the north and northwest. Boulders and
rocks are strewn all over the surface. This glacier can be approached via
Gilgit in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir.

Rupshu

Located east of Zanskar, the restricted
area of Rupshu is Ladakh's easternmost and most elevated region, blending
into western Tibet's high plains. In fact, topographically, but not
politically, Rupshu is an integral part of the Chang Tang, Tibet's
600-mile-wide, 15,000-foot high northern steppes, of which it is the
westernmost extremity.

Saltoro Glacier

The Saltoro glacier is located
on the southern slopes of the Karakoram Range in Ladakh. Situated in a
cirque of the Saltoro massif, this glacier feeds one of the two main streams
of the Saltoro River, which in turn drains into the Shyok River.

Shyok Valley & Indus Valley

Indus is a
large valley formed by the main channel of the Indus River as it flows
across Ladakh. The Shyok Valley is the valley of the Shyok River -- the
river of death. This is a "Yarkandi" (Central Asian) name,
probably given by the Central Asian traders

Thak Thok Gompa

Clustered around a lumpy
outcrop of eroded rocks, 4-km up the valley from Chemrey, the small Gompa of
Thak Thok (pronounced Tak Tak and meaning "top of the rocks") is
the sole representative in Ladakh of the ancient Nyingmapa order.

Zangla

Lying deep in the northern arm of
Zanskar at the end of the 35-km long rough road from Padum, Zangla was being
ruled by a titular king till his death in 1989. The old castle now in ruins
except from a small chapel, occupies a hill, overlooking the desertic valley
below.

Excursions from Ladakh

Pughtal

(70Km.)
Phugthal is the most spectacularly located monastic establishment anywhere
in Ladakh, the Phugthal complex spills out of the mouth of a huge cave in
the face of a lateral gorge through which a major tributary of the southern
Lungnak (Lingti-Tsarap) River flows.

Stongdey/ Stongde Monastery

(20Km.)
The monastery of Stongdey lies 18-km to the north of Padum, on the road
leading to Zangla. An old foundation associated with the Tibetan Yogi,
Marpa, Stongdey is now the second largest monastic establishment of Zanskar.

Karsha

(9Km.) Karsha is another large
settlement across the river from Padam, at a distance of about 8-km from the
latter. It has a small market, school, dispensary and post and telegraph
facilities. There is also a monastery at Karsha, which is revered by the
population living in the surrounding region.

Panikhar

On the route to Zanskar, Panikhar,
which is commonly considered to be on the border of the Suru Valley, is an
important place. There is a high pass between Panikhar and Sankoo, a
moderately sized valley about 42-km from Kargil, Ladakh. Zorawar Singh and
his forces entered Ladakh from the Suru Pass in 1832 en route to conquer
Tibet. He built a fort whose ruins stand to this day.

Penzella Pass

The Panzella Pass is situated at
an elevation of more than 4,200 m over the Zanskar range (Penzella
mountains). It separates Zanskar from the Suru valley and other parts of
Ladakh. On either side of the pass there are camping grounds used by
migratory grazier communities and travelers. At the top, an enchanting view
of the surrounding ranges and countryside greets the visitor. At the top of
the pass, there are two springs of greenish water credited by legend to be
the birthplace of the progenitors of the famous Zanskar breed of ponies.
Different forms of vegetation come up around the pass soon after the snow
melts in summer. These include many species, which have medicinal value.
Marmots live in burrows, moving to lower elevations in winter. The brown
bear is also found on the slopes of the Penzela Pass. The Penzela glacier,
where the Suru River arises, is situated on one of the flanks of this pass.
On the Zanskar side, an extensive stretch of flat land is present at the
foot of the pass. It is dissected by a number of streams and supports
riverine vegetation, which becomes thick in summer. This is an ideal camping
ground for graziers and trekkers. The Penzela Pass remains open only from
May to September, being closed for the rest of the year due to heavy
snowfall

Zongkhul

(20Km.) A spectacular cave monastery
of Zanskar, Zongkhul falls on the Padum-Kishtwar trekking trail, just before
the ascent of Omasi-la Pass begins.WHEN TO TREK
For most people, the timing of a trek out of Padum is determined by the
opening of the motorable road from Kargil over the Pentse La. The pass is
normally cleared of snow by the beginning of July, and generally remains
open until the end of October.

The alternative is to trek from Panikhar or Rangdum over the Pentse La.
This can be completed in May, although it is advisable not to cross the high
passes leading out of Zanskar until the end of June. By this time the
villagers begin to cross the Singge La, the Umasi La and the Shingo La and
Phitse La. These times should also be noted if one is planning to trek into
the Zanskar Valley from Lamayuru, Leh or Darcha. The passes remain open
until the middle of October, although freak storms in September have
occasionally required treks to be re-routed.

River crossings also need to be considered when planning a trek. In
particular, the route from Padum to the Markha valley follows gorges where
the late spring snow melt makes the rivers difficult to cross until August.

For the intrepid, there are winter trails linking the Zanskar valley with
the Indus. From late January through February, the villagers and monks
follow the route over the snow bridges that form in the depths of the
gorges. When the ice begins to thaw, they follow a route over the Cha Cha La
to the Khurna valley and then trek down to its confluence with the Zanskar
River. Here there are some places to ford the Zanskar River to reach Niimu
and Leh. This route is favoured by the locals in the springtime, until the
deep snows on the Pentse La begin to thaw in May.

Significance - Zanskar

Historical

HISTORY
The Khampa, the nomadic shepherds who originally roamed the grazing
pastures of the Tibetan plateau, would have been familiar with the high
passes into Zanskar many centuries before the villages of the Zanskar or
Indus valley were established.

In the 11th century, the eminent scholar Ringchen Brangpo wandered the
Zanskar valley selecting sites from the 108 monasteries that were to be
found throughout the west Himalayas. At the same time, legend has it that
the sage Naropa meditated at the site of Sani monastery.

The Advent of Foreign Travellers
The famous Hungarian explorer Coso de Koros was one of the first European
travelers to visit the region. He spent nearly a year, in 1826-27, at the
monastery of Phugthal translating Buddhist texts from Ladakhi into English.
An inscription of his name can be still found in the monastery.

Dogra Invasion
A few years later, the Dogra general Zorawar Singh led his army over the
Umasi La during the conquest of Ladakh and the Zanskar. In 1834 he reduced
the powers of the royal families in both Padum and Zangla to a nominal
status and established the fort at the village of Pipiting just north of
Padum. He is also said to have paid a small fortune to hire a local guide to
lead his army directly across the passes of the Zanskar Range to the Indus
Valley in Order to mount a surprise attack on the king of Ladakh.

The Dogra conquest was recorded by Thomas Thomson, a member of the East
India Company's Boundary Commission crossing the Umasi La in June 1848 en
route through the Zanskar and Indus Valleys to the Korakoram Pass.

How To Get There - Zanskar

By Road

HOW TO REACH THERE
Road: The 240-km long Kargil-Padum road, of which the first 90-km stretch
is paved, remains opened from around mid July to early November. The J&K
SRTC operates a thrice-weekly bus services from Kargil. However groups can
charter A-Class or even Super-Deluxe buses to visit Zanskar, including the
interior places of interest like Stongdey, Zangla and Karsha. Jeeps and
Gypsy taxis can also be hired at Kargil.

During June and early July, prior to opening of the road, it is recommended
to walk into Zanskar from Panikhar or Parkachik onwards. In June, the summer
is at its height in the region and the climate is ideal for trekking along
the route free from vehicular traffic of any kind and when the countryside
is freshly rejuvenated into life after months of frigid dormancy.

Places To Stay - Zanskar

The tourist Complex at
Padum provides furnished rooms. There is catering arrangement in the
complex, while camping place nearby is available for budget tourists
travelling with personal tents. Padum town has several private hotels where
rooms with basic facilities are available. At Karsha dormitory accommodation
is available in the newly build inn where basic vegetarian food is also
provided. In the distant villages like Stongdey, Zangla, Sani, etc.,
accommodation can be sought from the villagers either on payment or in
exchange of a suitable gift. Some monasteries may also take in guests,
through more as a gesture of goodwill than on purely commercial
consideration. Of course the guest is expected to compensate the monastery
suitably.

General Information - Zanskar

Location

235-km From Kargil, Ladakh Region, J&K

Main Attraction

Panikhar, Panzela Pass, Karsha &
Trekking

Scenic Beauty

The Mountainous Panorama Zanskar comprises a tri-armed valley system lying between the Great
Himalayan Range and the Zanskar mountain; The three arms radiate star-like
towards the west, north and south from a wide central expanse where the
region's two principal drainage's meet to form the main Zanskar River.

It is mainly along the course of this valley system that the region's
10,000 strong, mainly Buddhists population lives. Spread over an estimated
geographical area of 5,000-sq-kms, high-rise mountains and deep gorges
surround Zanskar. The area remains inaccessible for nearly 8 months a year
due to heavy snowfall resulting in closure of all the access passes,
including the Penzela.

Today, Zanskar has the distinction of being the least interfered with
microcosms of Ladakh, and one of the last few surviving cultural satellites
of Tibet. Within the mountain ramparts of this lost Shangrila stand a number
of ancient yet active monastic establishments. Some of these religious
foundations have evolved around remote meditation caves believed to have
been used by a succession of famous Buddhist saints for prolonged meditation
in pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment.